Mukhtar Ali
Personal information
Full name Mukhtar Abdullahi Ali
Date of birth (1997-10-30) 30 October 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth Jeddah, Saudi Arabia[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Al-Fateh
(on loan from Al-Nassr)
Number 7
Youth career
0000–2008 Leyton Orient
2008–2017 Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Chelsea 0 (0)
2017 → Vitesse (loan) 6 (0)
2017 → Jong Vitesse (loan) 4 (0)
2017–2019 Vitesse 9 (1)
2019– Al-Nassr 28 (0)
2022 → Al-Tai (loan) 11 (2)
2022–2023 → Al-Tai (loan) 27 (2)
2023– → Al-Fateh (loan) 13 (0)
International career‡
2012 England U16 2 (0)
2013–2014 England U17 4 (0)
2017–2021 Saudi Arabia U23
2017– Saudi Arabia 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 December 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 January 2024

Mukhtar Abdullahi Ali (Arabic: مختار علي, born 30 October 1997) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Saudi Arabia national team and for Al-Fateh on loan from Al-Nassr. He was born in Jeddah and moved to London as an infant.[1]

Club career

Chelsea

In 2008, Ali joined Chelsea at under-11 level from Leyton Orient and progressed through the club's academy system.[2] He was part of the Chelsea youth side which recorded back to back triumphs in the FA Youth Cup in 2015 and 2016.[2] With 42 appearances in all competitions he was the second-leading appearance maker in the academy and was also nominated for International Somali Sportsman of the Year.[3]

Vitesse

On 29 January 2017, Ali joined Vitesse on loan for the remainder of the 2016–17 campaign.[4] On 19 February 2017, Ali made his Vitesse debut in their 1–0 home defeat against Ajax, replacing Marvelous Nakamba in the 84th minute.[5] On 4 February 2017, he played his first match for Jong Vitesse against SV Spakenburg.[6] Ali went onto appear in five more league games during his loan spell.

On 17 July 2017, Vitesse permanently signed Ali on a three-year deal.[7]

Al-Nassr

On 31 August 2019, Al-Nassr signed Mukhtar Ali on a one-year deal from Vitesse.[8] On 29 January 2022, he renewed his contract with Al-Nassr until 2025 and was loaned out to Al-Tai.[9] On 29 August 2022, Mukhtar Ali rejoined Al-Tai on a one-year loan.[10] On 7 September 2023, Mukhtar Ali joined Al-Fateh on a one-year loan.[11]

International career

Ali represented England at both under-16 and under-17 level and was also eligible to represent Somalia, the country of his parents.[12] However, he pledged his allegiance to the Saudi Arabia national team,[13] and made his senior debut on 7 October 2017 against Jamaica. This was possibly based on the player's assertion that he was instead born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[14]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 September 2023.[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vitesse (loan) 2016–17 Eredivisie 6 0 0 0 — — 6 0
Vitesse 2017–18 Eredivisie 3 0 0 0 1[b] 0 2[c] 0 6 0
2018–19 Eredivisie 6 1 1 0 0 0 — 7 1
Al-Nassr 2019–20 Saudi Pro League 20 0 1 0 8[d] 1 — 29 1
2020–21 Saudi Pro League 5 0 1 0 2[d] 0 — 8 0
2021–22 Saudi Pro League 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 — 1 0
2023–24 Saudi Pro League 3 0 0 0 1[d] 0 0 0 4 0
Total 28 0 2 0 12 1 0 0 42 1
Al-Tai (loan) 2021–22 Saudi Pro League 11 2 0 0 — — 11 2
2022–23 Saudi Pro League 27 2 1 0 — — 28 2
Total 38 4 1 0 — — 39 4
Career total 81 5 4 0 13 1 2 0 100 6
  1. ^ Includes KNVB Cup, King Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in Eredivisie European play-offs
  4. ^ a b c d Appearances in AFC Champions League

Honours

Club

Chelsea Reserves[2]

Vitesse

Al-Nassr

References

  1. ^ a b Meenaghan, Gary (2018-04-06). Mukhtar Ali ‘fit and ready’ for Saudi Arabia if World Cup call comes. Arab News. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  2. ^ a b c "Mukhtar Ali". TheChels.info. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "International Somali Awards 2017 Nominees: Sports Person of the Year". Anti Tribalism Movement : The ATM. 22 January 2017. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Academy midfielder loan". Chelsea Official Site. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Vitesse vs. Ajax". Soccerway. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ^ "SPAKENBURG VS. VITESSE II 2 - 2". Soccerway. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Ali joins Vitesse". Chelsea Official Site. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. ^ Al-Nassr is officially signed by Mukhtar Ali
  9. ^ "رسميا.. النصر يجدد عقد مختار ويعيره للطائي". 29 January 2022.
  10. ^ "الطائي يستعير لاعب النصر". 29 August 2022.
  11. ^ "الفتح يضم مختار علي بنظام الإعارة من النصر". 7 September 2023.
  12. ^ https://www.arabnews.com/node/1279776/sports
  13. ^ Vitesse. "Vitesse nieuws: Vitesse-spelers internationaal actief". Vitesse.nl.
  14. ^ "Mukhtar Ali 'fit and ready' for Saudi Arabia if World Cup call comes". Arab News. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  15. ^ Mukhtar Ali at Soccerway

External links

Al Fateh SC โ€“ current squad
Saudi Arabia men's football squad โ€“ 2020 Summer Olympics
Saudi Arabia squad โ€“ 2023 AFC Asian Cup
Categories